Digimon Guardians
by GilliamPiper
Summary: Long ago, a great evil, more terrible than even the Seven Deadly Sins combined, was sealed away. Now, a mysterious enemy has emerged and made it his mission to release the evil, so that it may once again rule the Digital World...
1. A Story Unfolds

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. If I did, it would be like this.

This fanfic is one I am writing for the Digimon Club I own on another site. The characters are all OCs made by members there. Daiki is my character.

**Chapter One **

**A Story Unfolds**

Yo, readers. My name's Daiki Nakahara. I'm just your average, good-looking guy. Well, I used to be. Average, I mean. I'm still as good-looking as ever, but now I'm anything _but_ average. You see, my life was pretty much the same as most of the other kids I knew. I lived in an apartment in downtown Tokyo with my parents and little brother (_the Nuisance_, as I call him; but you can just call him "Jirou"). My school was just a twenty-minute walk away...twelve if I ran.

Okay, well, I'm fourteen, and in ninth grade, so I just started my last year of middle school. It's pretty tough, but as long as I can outwit my teachers, I'll be fine.

My dad's an accident-prone salesman who makes a living by selling all sorts of weird stuff...that rarely works. Mom's a stay-at-home, doing everything Jirou and I don't want to do. She's nice like that...but boy, if you rub her the wrong way, she turns into the Wicked Witch of the West...or something to that effect. Scariness. Jirou's a little different. He's shy around everyone but me and my parents, and always wants to do everything I do. Mom says it's because he looks up to me, but I think he just wants to drive me up the wall.

Ahem. Enough talking about my crazy parents and annoying little bro. That's not what I'm here for. Today, I'm going to tell you my story...but it's not just mine...it's a story that affects every one of us...and, believe it or not, another world entirely.

This is that story.

******

A rhythmic thudding of feet along the pavement was all that could be heard on this gray, stormy day. The streets were almost entirely empty, because most had preferred to stay home rather than brave the choppy weather. Dark clouds swirled overhead, and strong winds blew every which direction.

The only signs of life in this usually bustling area of downtown Tokyo were the occasional passing car and a single teenage boy dashing along the sidewalk. The boy kept glancing down at a small contraption in his hands. The device was beeping excessively, and on its screen blinked an arrow that pointed in a specific direction, like a compass. Only this arrow didn't point north...it seemed to be broken...constantly on the move. But something about this device intrigued the boy, and he followed the arrow anyway.

This boy was Daiki Nakahara, a fourteen-year-old who lived in an apartment in downtown Tokyo. The night before, as he was surfing the internet, he discovered a strange website called _Digital Monsters_. When he checked it out, the screen of his computer flashed brightly, and out popped the strange device he now held in his hands.

Daiki knew this device was special. He could feel it.

******

_Four months later... _

Above the skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo, a blue blur streaked across the night sky, shrieking in a piercing voice as it went. Upon closer inspection, one might identify the creature as a large, furry bat with red, fleshy wings and large rabbit ears. Hooks donned its arms and legs, and even served as additions to its wings and ropey tail. With another high-pitched shriek, the bat-monster shattered the window of an apartment.

The terrifying bat's gleaming yellow eyes fixed on a new target, this one being yellow and reptilian. Its small body rippled with miniature muscles, and its large snout was long and flat, like a dinosaur's. Three claws protruded from each scaly hand and foot. The bat's yellow eyes met the dinosaur's shining green ones...and the battle began.

The yellow dinosaur threw back its head, and looked as though it were about to lose its lunch...but instead it unleashed something far...hotter.

"Pepper Breath!" exclaimed the yellow reptile, as it sent a flaming projectile streaking into the air from its gaping mouth.

The blast whizzed by the bat-monster, and crashed into an apartment just a short distance away. The dinosaur cringed, and looked over at his partner, who stood not far off.

"Aw, Agurabana, you missed!"

"Sorry, Dai-senpai," muttered the yellow dinosaur, glancing down at his feet.

"Heh, no worries! You'll get him this time!"

Agurabana stared up at his human partner, chosen for him by Wisemon himself. Daiki Nakahara was a reliable one, no doubt. What he lacked in brains, he made up for in heart. The boy's thin, tan figure had grown slightly more muscular recently, mostly due to all the running around they had done. His shaggy brown hair blew in the cold night air, and Agurabana had to agree with Daiki's mother that the boy needed a haircut. A pair of blue goggles donned Daiki's forehead, just for show, of course...because he'd never need those things out of water. Agurabana didn't see much use for them. Daiki was wearing his usual attire; a pair of cargo shorts, and a white T-shirt, complete with a jagged 'D' symbol on the front, worn over a long-sleeved, blue shirt. The boy's sneakers were decorated with red stripes. Daiki's dark brown eyes fixed on their target, a creature his handheld device, called a Digivice, recognized as a 'Pipismon'.

"Alright, Bana, take him down!"

"Aye, aye, Dai-senpai! Pepper Breath!"

The yellow dinosaur called Agurabana threw back his head again, and this time let loose an eruption of fireballs, all of which streaked past their agile opponent. Pipismon ducked and weaved through the barrage, squealing tauntingly as it went. Agurabana scowled, and then erupted with another fireball. This flaming projectile struck the bat-monster across the face, sending it reeling through the air.

"Yeah, that's it! You got him now!" Daiki shouted, clenching his fists. "Now let's finish him off!"

Agurabana nodded. "You got it, Senpai!"

The dinosaur hurled himself on top of a parked car to get a better shot, but the sudden pressure on the car roof set off the alarm. Daiki groaned.

"Just ignore it for now, Agurabana," he called, pointing up at their target. "Take down that Digimon!"

Agurabana winced at the sound of the car alarm. "Sure thing...Pepper Breath!"

Three more flaming missiles rocketed into the air, and this time, all of them met their mark. Pipismon dropped to the ground in a thick cloud of smoke...and then disintegrated, as all Digimon did when they met their demise.

Just as Agurabana was about to perform a victory-dance, Daiki grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away, hissing, "Come on, Bana! People are coming to see what all the commotion was about...we gotta get you outta here!"

Agurabana nodded. "Mmhmm."

"And besides...Mom doesn't know I'm out this late...if she finds out...then I'm screwed!"

"She doesn't know I'm out this late either."

Daiki sighed. "Yeah, but that's because she doesn't know you exist."

******

_Brrrriiiiiinnggg... _

Daiki's sleepy eyes drifted open, and he yawned. Reaching for the snooze button, he felt something wet and slimy around his hand.

"Uhh...Senpai...your hand is in my nostril."

Daiki's eyes blinked open, and he looked down at Agurabana, who stood by his bedside, staring at him through his green eyes. Daiki's gaze fixed on his own hand, which was shoved up the yellow dinosaur's nose...

"Ewww..." he muttered, yanking his hand out of the reptile's snout and grimacing. "Agurabana...why'd you do that?!"

"I didn't do anything...you're the one who stuck it in there."

"Well then...why'd you let me do that?!" Daiki exclaimed, but hushed when he realized something. "And furthermore...why're you in here?! Mom or Dad might see you!"

Agurabana grinned. "Jirou let me in. We played with his little dolls...you know, the ones you used to play with?"

"Those are called _action figures_..."

"They look like dolls to me."

"Just shut up and hand me my goggles, will ya?" Daiki snapped, pointing over at his desk where his beloved goggles lay. Agurabana rolled his eyes and waddled over to them. He had a bit of trouble picking them up, due to his lack of thumbs, and dropped them a couple of times on the floor.

"Would you stop that?!"

Agurabana glanced up at Daiki just before dropping the goggles again. "Stop what?"

"Ah, forget it! Give me those!" Daiki exclaimed, snatching the goggles and putting them on. "Okay, I have to go to school...so while I'm gone, just hide in my closet!"

"Aye, aye, Senpai!"

As Daiki dashed out of the room, Agurabana stared after him, murmuring, "I hope he realizes he's still in his pajamas."

******

The sun's rays reached down to a wondrous land of fields and mountains, of forests and rivers, of skies and seas...and of darkness. A flock of huge red birds soared overhead, all of which resembled horned eagles. Their wings seemed to float along the powerful wind currents above...that is, until they came upon a strange presence.

The flock sensed a stranger in the area, and they scattered, fleeing from the place with all haste. A lone figure, standing atop the summit of a small mountain, watched them fly away. The figure had the build of a tall man garbed in brown robes and a tattered, pale tan cloak. Its facial features were hidden from view, save for its glowing yellow eyes. The rest was blackness. Perhaps this being had no form but the cloak. No one knew for certain. This being was a mystery.

This being was Wisemon.

"Sovereign Azulongmon," said Wisemon, in a whisper of a voice, "the time has come. The Chosen Ones are ready."

"Excellent," thundered a mighty voice from among the clouds above. Seconds later, the sky seemed to split, and a huge draconic form drifted down from the heavens. Chains coiled around the fierce blue dragon's long, transparent body. A large mask concealed the dragon's face, save for its four eyes and long, gray beard. Lightning cracked across the sky as this mighty being spoke. The massive creature held a powerful aura, and would awe most anyone who gazed upon it...but Wisemon remained emotionless.

"They have completed their training then?" boomed the dragon's huge voice.

"Yes, Sovereign Azulongmon," Wisemon replied, bowing low to the dragon. "I will bring them into our world..."

"I fear Piedmon has already caught wind of our plans," said Azulongmon, this time more hushed. "He may be waiting for them to arrive so that he can destroy them."

"What Piedmon knows of matters little to me," Wisemon answered. "I am confident in the abilities of these human children. They will get the job done. I am sure of it."

"You sound very sure of these children...do you mind giving me a glimpse of their abilities?"

Wisemon nodded. "As you wish, Sovereign Azulongmon. I will show you a personal favorite of mine."

******

Daiki groaned as he exited the classroom. His little ordeal with Agurabana that morning had made him late for school...not to mention the fact that he had almost run out the door in his pajamas. He slung his bookbag over his shoulder and trudged out the door, nearly bumping into a couple of students as they passed him by.

Glancing over his shoulder, Daiki noted that a strange light was flashing from within the computer lab. _Probably just some computer-geek messing with the equip--_

Every light in the school blinked out.

_--ment. _

A dozen high-pitched shrieks ensued...eleven of which came from girls...the other came from a guy. Daiki glanced around in the darkness as students dashed past him, in sudden panic due to the loss of light. Daiki shrugged. _Whatever._

"What the heck is going on here?!" Daiki heard the principal shout, as he burst through the doors of his office.

As teachers with flashlights began to usher kids out the door, Daiki noticed that one of the lights in the computer lab kept flashing on and off. He inched closer.

Just then, a shrill beeping noise caught his ear. He dropped his bookbag and rummaged inside. His eyes fixed on a small device inside...a contraption Agurabana had referred to as a _Digivice_.

"It's used to locate other Digimon," the dinosaur had explained. "Enemy ones...that way, when one shows up, we'll be able to take it down!"

Daiki sighed and pressed a button on the Digivice. The screen lit up, and an image appeared.

_'Kokuwamon,'_ read the Digivice, in a voice that sounded like the recording of a woman. _'Rookie level. Data attribute. Machine type. Threat level: Low.'_

"Great," Daiki muttered under his breath. "There's a Digimon here...and that dumb Agumon of mine is nowhere to be found..."

Peering in through the computer lab door, Daiki noticed that it wasn't just lights flickering on and off...there was something causing the electricity to go haywire. It was standing in front of one of the computers and seemed to be absorbing the energy from the wires. Daiki leaned further in. It was a queer creature, and, to Daiki, looked like a robotic bug with various plugs sticking out of its arms, shoulders, and head. Sparks of electricity flashed through the air as the bug seemingly ate its fill.

Daiki crept into the room, and reached for a nearby chair. Gripping a chair-leg in each hand, Daiki rose, and prepared to strike the insect with his newly-acquired weapon. He swung at the robotic bug, but couldn't finish his attack...for the bug had anticipated such a thing. It emitted a flurry of electrical sparks into the air, showering Daiki in a rain of shocking projectiles. The boy fell backwards, yelping. The insect turned around to face him, surrounding itself in an orb of electric light. Daiki grimaced. _So this is a Kokuwamon, huh? I thought the Digivice said it had a 'low' threat level!_

He somersaulted to the left to avoid another attack, this time a bolt of electricity. The bolt singed Daiki's shirtsleeve, but caused no harm to his person. The teenage boy had just enough time to leap away before being attacked again. "You're not being very cooperative, are ya?!"

Daiki dashed behind a desk and shoved it over to use as a barricade. He grabbed a chair and hurled it over his new wall at the Kokuwamon. This time, the chair struck, and the Kokuwamon was sent reeling across the room. With a newfound confidence, Daiki strode out from behind his barrier, a stool in hand.

He swung the stool like a baseball bat, striking the Kokuwamon full in the face and knocking it over. Daiki struck a victorious pose, but his triumph was short-lived, for the bug was back on its feet just a moment later. Its eyes, head, and pincers seemed to glow with electrical currents. Daiki's jaw dropped.

"Well...this may hurt. Just a bit."

Suddenly, a new figure crashed through the computer lab window, shattering it completely upon impact. Agurabana landed less-than-gracefully in the room, his eyes narrowed to almost feral proportions. "Pepper Breath!"

An explosion of fire blew up in the Kokuwamon's face, blowing it backwards and leaving it sprawled out on the floor. Agurabana looked up at Daiki and grinned.

Daiki rolled his eyes. "What took you so long?!"

"Well, I sensed another Digimon, so I jumped out of your room's window...and then I remembered that you live in an apartment building...on the fourth floor."

The Agumon sheepishly held up the rearview mirror of an automobile. "I think I broke your mom's car."

Daiki shook his head. "I'll be angry about that later...just beat the pants off that thing!"

"But Senpai...he's not wearing any pants."

"Power Surge!" exclaimed the Kokuwamon, emitting a huge bolt of electricity from its taser-like claws. The bolt struck Agurabana in the stomach, sending the dinosaur reeling backwards.

Agurabana struggled to his feet, cringing. He mustered all of his fiery might into his throat and let a fireball fly through the air at his target. But the Kokuwamon was fast. It leaped into the air and hovered there, beating its wings furiously. The fireball rocketed by underneath it, and crashed into a computer monitor, setting it ablaze upon impact.

As the flames spread, the smoke reached into the air and soon began to fill the room. Daiki shielded his face from the heat and glanced around. The terrible stench of smoke and fire filled his nostrils. His eyes, squinted from the smoke, fixed on the forms of Agurabana and Kokuwamon, who were busy dueling despite the smog.

And then the fire alarm went off.

_Brrrriiiiiinnnggg!!! _

"Aw, maaaaan," Daiki moaned, as if things couldn't get any worse. Well, they did. The school had a built-in sprinkler system that went off when the fire alarm did...and soon the computer lab became subject to indoor rain. Daiki groaned and glanced around. The water was taking some sting out of Agurabana's fireballs, but it also seemed to do some harm to the Kokuwamon. The little electrical insect flinched every time it conjured up electricity.

"That's it!" Daiki exclaimed, rushing to Agurabana's aid. He grabbed a wire that was still plugged into the wall and jabbed it into one of the Kokuwamon's shoulder-plugs. The shock sent him hurtling backwards, but he managed to sit up again to watch the fireworks. The Kokuwamon coughed and sputtered, sending waves of electricity shooting out, and then the water and electricity mixed. Half a moment later, and the electrical beetle was flopping on the ground, surging with electrical energy and being shocked by it.

"Agurabana, now!"

"Aye, aye, Senpai!" shouted the Agumon. "Pepper Breath!"

The blast struck the Kokuwamon full in the face, and destroyed it upon impact, leaving naught but a cloud of data particles behind to mark the Digimon's final moments. Agurabana grinned, and Daiki let out a short chuckle. Then he became very serious.

"Now, about Mom's car."

******

Wisemon turned to the Sovereign Azulongmon expectantly. The great blue dragon shook his head. In his booming voice, he said, "Well...I must admit...I expected you, the great Wisemon, to have picked someone with a little more...skill and strength."

Wisemon, in his whisper of a voice, replied, "Even the greatest of heroes have to start somewhere."

"And are the others still at this level also?" Azulongmon inquired, studying Wisemon very closely.

The cloaked Digimon blinked his ominous eyes, and then said, "Some are at young Nakahara's level. Some are lower. Some are higher. It takes all types to make one team."

Azulongmon sighed. "Very well, Wisemon. Have it your way. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I always know what I am doing, Sovereign Azulongmon," replied the cloaked-mystery. "After all...I am Wisemon."


	2. Going Digital

**Chapter Two **

**Going Digital**

Six figures stood in a circle in the dimly lit room. A single blue flame hung suspended in the center, like a specter, bringing an eerie light to the otherwise pitch-black room. All that could be seen in the misty blue glow were the fronts of the shadowy forms. They were all dressed in similar attire, but were divided into two groups of three.

The three on the left side of the circle were garbed in blue capes and wizard hats, each with a skull mounted on the front, and strange yellow clothes. Each one held a staff, decorated with an odd figure of the sun on one end.

The other three were dressed in quite the same way, but in white, rather than blue and yellow. Their hats did not have skulls donning them, and their staffs held large snowflake-figures, rather than the odd suns of the other three.

The six figures chanted in hushed voices, causing the blue flame in the center to begin swirling around, as if it were in a giant cauldron. The ghoulish flame rose up into the air, and formed a large vortex. Wisps of fire and streaks of lightning flashed throughout the cave. Quite suddenly, however, the flames and lightning bolts retracted, shrinking back into the single, ominous blue fireball in the center.

One of the wizards glanced back into the shadows. In a voice muffled slightly by his high collar, the magic-user said, "Master Wisemon...everything is in order. The time is now."

Two glowing orbs appeared in the darkness. From within the shadows spoke a single whisper...a whisper that would bring chills to just about anyone: "Indeed, Wizardmon. Normally, if these were merely Digimon we were bringing to and fro, I would not have requested the help of the immigrants from Witchelny...but these are humans that must be called upon. Bringing them here will take more power than even I could muster alone."

The Wizardmon nodded. "It is our pleasure, Master Wisemon. We will do everything in our power to summon those who can save our new world."

Several nods from the other wizards confirmed the Wizardmon's statement. Out of the shadows stepped Wisemon, and the tall, cloaked figure joined the six wizards in the circle. In one hand, Wisemon held an odd book; a book that held a mystical power...a power not of that world...or of any world, for that matter. It was a book that held all of the secrets of time and space.

Wisemon blinked his glowing eyes, and then said, "Very well...let us begin."

******

"_Spiral Saw!_"

"_Beat Knuckle!_"

Just ten minutes before, all had been calm in this Canadian coastal city. But not anymore. In the city park, on this perfectly fine Tuesday morning, all had been as it should be. However, in the lives of some, everything seems to be able to take a U-turn instantaneously. That was how it always seemed for Jeffrey Drago, anyway. The boy was running late to school, so he took a shortcut through the park...oh, how impeccable was the timing of chaos and utter annoyance.

Jeffrey was Caucasian, and had dark brown, medium-length hair. He was tall, even for a sixteen-year-old, about six-foot, and quite thin. His garb consisted of a blue T-shirt, a pair of red (checkered with black and white) soccer shorts, and silver-white running shoes. To complete his motley attire, he wore his favorite green baseball cap with a 'D' on the front (for his favorite team, the 'Dayton Dragons'). The fused colors of gray, green, and gold formed around his pupils, which were fixed on the two battling monsters before him.

It was at times like these when Jeff was glad to have a draconic monster for a best friend. "Monodramon!" Jeff shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth for better projection. "This guy's a pretty fast jumper, but he can't run for beans! You'll have to hit him just before he jumps or lands!"

Stumbling backwards, the little purple dragon grunted, "That's kinda what I've been trying to do for the last fifteen minutes!"

Jeff rolled his eyes. "We've only been out here six."

"That's what I meant!" Monodramon exclaimed, charging at his foe once again. "_Beat Knuckle!_"

The little purple dragon struck at his foe with his drill-shaped claws, and then batted the creature away with his fleshy wings that protruded from his forearms. His opponent staggered back, and soon became subject to a two-footed kick from Monodramon. The blow sent the creature hurtling backwards into a bush. Monodramon somersaulted through the air and landed just a short distance away, watching for his foe to reappear.

Jeff glanced down at his Digivice. _'Gizamon. Rookie level. Virus attribute. Sea Animal type. Threat level: Low.'_

The boy looked back up and saw that the monster was slowly making its way out of the brush. Jeff raised an eyebrow. This was the first time he had actually gotten a clear look at the beast...and he had to say, it wasn't attractive in the least. Not even a mother could love that face. It was amphibious in form, with yellow skin, webbed feet, and strong back-legs. But it wasn't entirely frog-like. This creature, Gizamon, had a thick mane of orange fur that ran down its back. Huge black spines protruded from the creature's back, giving it a monstrous appearance. Teeth jutted out of its mouth menacingly, and its feral blue eyes were fixed on Monodramon.

"_Water Cure!_" bellowed the Gizamon. It planted its back feet firmly on the ground, swelled up its stomach, and sent a stream of water flying through the air at Monodramon. The purple dragon's eyes narrowed. He leaped to the right, narrowly avoiding the attack with his superior speed, and then lunged forward.

"_Cracking Bite!_" Monodramon shouted, diving at his target. His gaping mouth latched onto the Gizamon's front leg, and, with a sharp turn, Monodramon ripped open a hole in the Digimon's leg. The Gizamon dropped to the ground in a heap, and exploded in a flurry of data a moment later.

Jeff shook his head. These fights were starting to get out of hand. "You know, Monodramon...you probably could have killed it in a less painful way."

Monodramon folded his arms across his chest and scowled. "He was a Virus type. He deserved it."

Jeff rolled his eyes. Just as he began walking away, a bolt of lightning launched into the sky from under the ground. The earth below erupted into a swirling vortex of blue energy, and seemed to be sucking everything into its center...like a black hole.

Jeff stumbled backwards and fell on his rear end. Monodramon was by his side in an instant. They cast glances at each other, and then stared at the spinning whirlpool of terror.

"Get sucked into a vortex of death, or face an angry homeroom teacher..." Jeff muttered, "...I think I'll choose the vortex."

Suddenly, the vortex strengthened tenfold, and he, Monodramon, and a couple of park-benches were dragged into the dark abyss below.

"I was kidding!"

******

"Great sword in the stone," murmured Arthur Camotel, dragging his feet as he trudged along the sidewalk. The seventeen-year-old hadn't had a very successful day thus far. Everything during the fair's rehearsal seemed to have gone wrong. The guy who was supposed to play the jester had gotten chicken pox. The 'fair maiden' was no longer quite so fair...as she had broken her nose roller-skating. It seemed as though half a dozen other things had occurred...he just couldn't remember them all.

Arthur ran a hand through his wavy, brown hair, which was kept out of his gleaming black eyes using a small yellow bandana. He was dressed in a yellow sweatshirt, covered by a gray denim jacket, and a pair of black cargo pants with a yellow trim on the pockets. A pair of his grandfather's old biking gloves donned his hands. His build was that of an Olympic swimmer, and could easily scare off most anyone who might see him as a threat. To add to this already-dire misconception of his nature, the boy carried a forty-two-inch sword in a sheath that was slung on his back.

"Why doesn't anything ever seem to go right for me, Calliburn?"

Quite suddenly, a very short and skinny knight in white armor with yellow trimmings appeared by his side, carrying his spear in one hand and his shield in the other. "I don't know what you mean, Master Arthur," replied the knight, staring up at Arthur through the openings in his helmet. "Your lessons for the day had been cancelled...and you had the fortunate opportunity to rehearse for the fair."

As if reading the boy's thoughts, Calliburn continued, "And now you are on your way to visit your sagacious grandfather. What more could you wish for?"

"Well, for one, you could stop--" Arthur cut himself short. He had almost told Calliburn to stop calling him 'Master'. Arthur didn't like being considered someone's master, because he felt that it undermined Calliburn as a freethinking individual...but the little Digimon was so sweet...he didn't want to hurt Calliburn's feelings, or anything.

Arthur glanced up at the sky. "...never mind."

They remained silent for a few moments, quietly walking down the empty sidewalk. Finally, Calliburn looked up at Arthur, inquisitively. "What is the matter?"

Arthur continued to stare at the clouds. They were starting to swirl...taking on the shape of a whirlpool in the sky. Suddenly, the sky split open, and a beam of light struck the earth from above. It opened up a hole in the ground, and, from the newly-made opening, a vortex of blue light erupted. Arthur shielded his face with his arms, while Calliburn lifted his shield to a defensive-position.

"What in the name of Excalibur is the meaning of this?!" shouted the small knight Digimon, staring into the portal. With a turbulent bout of force, the vortex swallowed up Arthur and Calliburn, before closing up again, leaving naught but a few singed spots to mark where the abduction had taken place.

******

Twelve-year-old Jack Baker surveyed the screen of his laptop with a raised eyebrow. The boy was quite short for his age, and had short, brown hair and inquisitive brown eyes. His skin was pale, for he spent most of his time indoors. He was dressed in his usual attire: a hooded, black jacket, a pair of blue jeans, and green gloves. His computer bag was brown, and lay at his side. He was sitting under a tree during recess while all of the other kids played kickball or other some-such. Jack needed no such thing. All he needed for a successful break-time was his laptop.

But today, that 'trusted laptop' was acting up. The screen was going crazy, and Jack couldn't comprehend why. Perhaps it was a virus? A bug?

"Hiya, Jack! What's up?"

Startled, the boy yelped, and almost knocked his laptop off his lap. Jack glared over his shoulder at the newcomer, a creature that resembled a small, white seal. Three claws decorated each flipper, and a red streak of hair ran down the back of its head. The seal-creature's ears were long and normally droopy, but at the moment they were surprisingly perked up.

"Gomamon! What are you doing here?" Jack snapped, glancing around to make sure no one had seen the little seal. "Somebody will see you!"

Gomamon grinned. "Heheh...I just came to make sure you were having fun!" he replied, throwing his head back and letting out a chuckle. Suddenly, he grew more serious. "But you don't look like you're having any fun. You should go play that game where you kick a ball!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "That would be _kickball_, Gomamon," Jack muttered. "Great, first my computer goes mental, and now my Digimon wants me to play _kickball_ of all things."

"Why's your computer going mental, Jack?"

Jack scanned his laptop again. "I don't know. There seems to be something interfering with the electrical current...it's making the whole laptop go wacky."

Before either could say anything more, they found themselves staring straight into the infamous abducting-vortex of terror. Jack's jaw dropped. "Wow...an anomaly."

"That's not an anemone," Gomamon corrected. "That's a spinny-hole."

Just as Jack was about to correct Gomamon's "correction" he found himself hurtling into the vortex, with his laptop before him and Gomamon close behind...

******

"What is that thing?!" exclaimed Talia Strachan, staring at the blue vortex just a few feet away. The little girl, just about ten or so, was quite frightened by the idea of being sucked into whirlpool. The wind that spun around in differentiating directions blew her chest-length, golden blonde hair every which direction. Her sky blue eyes remained fixed on the eye of the vortex, which seemed to beckon to her. Her tunic top clung to her front and flailed around in the back from all the wind. Clutching her blue bandana to her chest, the little girl let out a yelp.

Her Digimon partner, a small, green-striped, rabbit-like creature named Terriermon, was beside her in an instant. "Don't worry, Talia! I'm here with you!"

With a sudden pull, both were sucked into the vortex. "Er...well...I'm still _with_ you, at least."

******

Twelve-year-old Jasmine Strachan-Taylor's face was twisted into a horrified grimace as she stared into the spinning vortex just a short distance away. Her shoulder-length, brown hair blew about wildly in the wind, despite the fact that she was indoors. She was garbed in a long tunic top, covered by a hooded jacket, and a pair of skinny jeans. Her stormy gray eyes were stationed on the whirlpool that reached out at her.

In her hands she held her small Digimon partner, a cute dog-like creature named Salamon. A holy ring donned the Digimon's neck. Salamon's eyes had grown wide in terror. "D-don't worry, Jazzy...I won't let that thing eat us...I hope."

Jasmine glanced down at Salamon, and then back at the vortex. She tried to retreat back a step, but lost her footing and fell into the awaiting abyss below...

******

"Uh...Kate...what's that?"

Katherine Wilson was speechless. She had never seen anything like this before. The forceful wind was sending her long, fiery red hair every which direction, and her hazel eyes stared straight into the blackness of the vortex. The fifteen-year-old's light green tank-top clung to her thin frame tightly. The legs of her baggy jeans flapped in the wind. Reaching behind her head, Kate quickly tied her red hair back in a ponytail to keep it from flailing about.

"I don't know, Palmon," the girl answered, over the roar of the vortex. "But it doesn't look pleasant in the least!"

Palmon, Katherine's Digimon partner, stood defiantly in front of her human friend. The little green creature was plant-like, and had a beautiful flower on her head, but she bore no resemblance in terms of frailty. She was a tough one, to be sure.

Suddenly, the force of the vortex's pull strengthened, and it sucked both Kate and Palmon into its center. The green Digimon extended her claws like vines out of the whirlpool and reached desperately for something to grab onto. The only thing it could grasp, however, was Kate's baseball bat, and that too fell into the dark void below.

******

Keith Spring stared unflinchingly into the vortex below. His medium-length, jet-black hair blew in the wind, as did his gray shirt (decorated with several modern-looking shapes), his black jacket (complete with two vertical white stripes), his jeans, and his striped scarf. The boy clenched his fists, tightening the fingerless gloves on his hands even further. His amber-colored eyes scanned the whirlpool inquisitively.

Suddenly, a small, limbless, furry creature hopped onto his shoulder. Orange fur covered its round body, and a large, disproportional horn extended from the top of its head, which, coincidentally, was its body. Its red eyes fixed on the vortex below.

"Keith, what shall we do?"

Keith shook his head. "I don't know, Tsunomon. If this is anything like that time when we first met...then I'm guessing we should try going into it."

Tsunomon nodded. "Very well, then. I'm guessing we should be off then?"

"Yes...if my hunch is correct, this will probably lead to the Digital World," Keith replied, folding his arms across his chest. "Ready, Tsunomon?"

"Ready!"

******

"As if my day hadn't been crazy enough already!" Daiki shouted, as he hurtled downward through the swirling vortex.

Agurabana was right behind him, trying in vain to bring an optimistic point of view on this occasion. "Look on the bright side, Senpai," he shouted. "At least we're not plummeting to our obvious dooms through a spinning whirlpool of darkness!"

Daiki cast him a menacing glare and the Agumon soon realized his mistake. "Oh...wait...maybe we are. Well, that's a downer."

******

_Several minutes later... _

Darkness.

Jeff's eyelids slowly opened, and a wash of light filled his eyes. For a moment, his vision was terribly blurred, and he couldn't see hardly anything other than vague shapes. Finally, he regained his vision and sat up. Glancing around, he found himself to be in some very unfamiliar surroundings. A deep forest surrounded him on every side, letting in just a few rays of light from the intertwining canopies above. The trees were huge, stretching hundreds of feet into the sky.

Truly, this was like nothing the boy had ever seen before.

"Hey, Monodra--" Jeff said aloud, scanning the perimeter for any sign of his partner, "--mon."

"Ack!--Jeff!" came a muffled cry from some bushes a few yards away. "Help me! I'm stuck!"

Jeff scrambled over to the place from whence his Digimon friend's voice came, and found Monodramon tangled up among the branches and vines. Shaking his head, Jeff muttered, "How do you get yourself into these messes?"

"More importantly," Monodramon replied, despite the numerous branches that muffled his speech, "how are you going to get me _out_ of them?!"

As Jeff proceeded to free his friend from the brush's vile clutches, he failed to notice a figure watching them from afar. Chuckling, the figure gripped a sword in each hand, and murmured, "So...the Chosen Ones have come...heheheh...now the _fun_ begins."

******

"Master Wisemon," said one of the six wizards, this one cloaked in white, "they have arrived."

"Excellent. Well done, Sorcerymon," Wisemon answered, in his usual hushed tone.

"Um...but...we fear something may have gone horribly wrong," murmured the Sorcerymon, fidgeting slightly. "We have sensed another presence in the area of one of the Chosen...we fear that Piedmon has already found one of them."


	3. Welcome to the Digital World

**Chapter Three**

**Welcome to the Digital World**

"_Bunny Blast!_"

A sudden burst of superheated green energy rocketed through the air and struck the ground forcefully, leaving only a few strands of charred grass. The little green-and-white bunny clenched his tiny fists and scanned the area. A field of tall grass stretched as far as the eye could see on one side, and on the other was located a narrow stream. The rabbit Digimon's eyes narrowed. _Where'd he go?_

"Terriermon!" shouted Talia, pointing into the sky. "It's in the air!"

Terriermon glanced up just in time to see his opponent, a green amphibious creature with an orange fin on its head and a claw on each foot, hurtling downward at him. The little bunny leaped away just in time, showing off his impressive agility, despite being of small size.

Talia looked down at her Digivice. _'Betamon. Rookie level. Virus attribute. Amphibian type. Threat level: Low.'_

The ten-year-old girl fell backwards into the tall grass and simply stared as her Digimon friend proceeded to duke it out with his amphibious adversary. The little bunny Digimon was having no trouble keeping his distance, for he had superior speed on land as well as in air. The larger, green creature, Betamon, was obviously growing frustrated. It had already tried unsuccessfully to dispatch its large-eared opponent with its physical prowess, but apparently that just wasn't going to do the trick.

It stopped, planted its feet firmly in the dirt, and growled, "_Electric Shock..._"

Suddenly, a burst of electrical energy pierced the sky, and struck Terriermon with such force that it blew the little Digimon several yards away. Terriermon rolled to a stop and struggled to his feet. His beady black eyes fixed on the Betamon, who was closing in on Talia.

"_Beta Slugger!_"

"Oh, no you don't!" Terriermon exclaimed, summoning all of the strength he could muster into his tiny mouth. "_Bunny Blast!_"

The attack crashed into Betamon's side, knocking the amphibious Digimon to the ground. The creature groaned, twitched, and then shut its eyes, just before erupting into a cloud of data. The Betamon had met its demise.

Talia, panting, glanced over at her partner, who had fallen to the ground in exhaustion. "I...I don't think I like this place very much."

"You and me both..." Terriermon murmured, clutching his aching head, "...I'm starting to think this whole getting-sucked-into-a-mysterious-whirlpool-thing was not in my best interest."

******

Jack slumped against the trunk of a huge tree, panting breathlessly. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. "Great...I've been here three minutes and I'm already tired of this place!"

Gomamon peered around the side of the tree-trunk, and then glanced back at his human friend. "All's clear, Jack...no sign of that freaky-bug-thing."

A sudden rustling in the branches above caught their attentions. Jack leaped to his feet and stared up into the tree, where he found a girl, about his age, seated atop a branch. The girl's stormy gray eyes were fixed on Jack's brown ones. A smile formed on her lips.

"Well, hello there," she said, hopping down from her perch and extending a hand to her new acquaintance, "my name's Jasmine Strachan...Strachan-Taylor, actually."

Jack raised an eyebrow. Glancing down at her hand and then back up at her, he murmured, "Uh...the name's Jack...Jack Baker. Just Baker."

A moment later, there was another form to make its way out of the tree...this one in a less-than-graceful manner. Salamon, Jasmine's puppy-like Digimon, fell into her partner's arms.

"Oof!" exclaimed the little Digimon.

Jasmine looked at Jack again. "Are you guys hiding from the Mothmon too?"

"Is that what that was?" Jack inquired, his eyes warily inspecting their surroundings for any signs of their pursuer.

"Yup," Jazzy replied, holding up her Digivice. It read, _'Mothmon. Champion level. Data attribute. Insectoid type. Threat level: Medium.'_

"Okay...let's get out of here before it finds us then..."

Gomamon grimaced. "Uh...guys? I think it's a little too late for that."

"_Multiple Blaster!_" shouted a voice that sounded almost like a voiced-over recording. Dozens of bullets whizzed by the tree and left several charred spots on the ground just a few feet from where the two children stood. Jack and Jazzy threw their arms up to shield their faces from the debris. Just moments later, they caught sight of their attacker.

It was a moth-like creature, about the size of Jack, whose body was green and yellow. Its large brown wings were decorated with strange symbols and a layer of toxic dust. To add to this oddity, a gatling gun grew out of its abdomen, from which it launched its most deadly attacks.

The Mothmon swooped low, terrorizing Jack and Jazzy with its four arms. Salamon leaped out of her human partner's arms and latched onto the bug with her teeth, provoking a pained cry from the insect. The Mothmon shook her off, and then spun around, aiming its ranged weapon at the two humans. "_Multiple Blaster!_"

"_Bubble Barrier!_" Gomamon jumped in front of Jack and Jazzy, and blew with all his might. A single bubble formed, and then enlarged, shielding the three of them from the attack. The bullets ricocheted off the bubble's surface, and caused no harm.

"Wow...that's a pretty strong bubble," Jack commented.

"Heh...I know, right?" Gomamon said, grinning.

Meanwhile, the Mothmon was readying its gatling gun for a second assault. Quite suddenly, however, it was caught in Salamon's devious attack. "_Sledge Crash!_"

The little Digimon had used a tree-trunk to push off, and then careened through the air at her opponent. She struck the Mothmon in the stomach with a fierce head-butt, and sent it reeling through the air. The Mothmon crashed to the ground in a heap. Lifting its head weakly, the Digimon peered around. Its bug-like eyes fixed on a quickly approaching figure...

"_Surfer Dive!_" shouted Gomamon, as he hurtled towards his opponent. The little seal Digimon slammed into Mothmon, knocking the insectoid Digimon back even further. Gomamon somersaulted through the air and landed nimbly on the ground, chuckling. "Heheh...not so tough when we fight you close up, are ya?! _Sharp Edge!_"

With a ferocious slash, Gomamon raked his claws across the Mothmon's face, bringing forth an explosion of data particles that drifted into the air. Gomamon, grinning, looked over his shoulder at Jack, Jasmine, and Salamon. "Heh...where to now, guys?"

******

"So this is the Digital World...somehow I thought it would be...warmer."

Keith scanned the perimeter of his current location like a hawk. Tall, snowy hills surrounded him on every side, and a thick slush covered the ground. It was a good thing he had been wearing warmer clothes when he was abducted. Glancing around, his eyes fixed on an approaching figure. It was reptilian in form, but wore the cloak of a striped wolf. A single horn protruded from the top of its head, and a tail poked out from beneath the fur coat.

"Gabumon," Keith said, as the Digimon approached, "what did you find?"

Gabumon looked up at Keith with his red eyes and replied, "There are some Digimon battling over there...and another human."

Keith raised an eyebrow. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his Digivice. He pressed a button, and the screen flashed. _'PawnChessmon. Rookie level. Virus attribute. Puppet type. Threat level: None.'_

Keith pressed another button. This time, new information appeared on the screen. _'Mojyamon. Champion level. Vaccine attribute. Rare Animal type. Threat level: Medium.'_

"Interesting...let's go check it out."

******

"In the name of the King, I order you to stand down!"

"Um...Calliburn...I don't think he's listening," Arthur said, gripping the hilt of his sword. Calliburn stood in front of his human partner, with his shield raised. Their opponent was approaching fast, wielding a large bone of some kind.

It had the appearance of a small yeti-creature, and was covered in a thick coat of white fur. Its mouth hung open wide, revealing a row of sharp teeth. A roar escaped its throat, causing Calliburn to shake in his armor.

The little soldier Digimon pointed his spear at the oncoming enemy. "Master Arthur, I highly suggest that now would be a good time for you to get out of here."

Arthur shook his head and lifted his sword higher. "No way, Calliburn. I will be at your side, as always! Huzzah!"

The yeti-creature leaped into the air, bellowing ferociously. Calliburn took a step back. "Then...be at my side as I run away!"

"What? Real knights never flee in the face of danger, Calliburn!" Arthur exclaimed, readying his weapon.

Calliburn lifted his shield higher. "Well, then it's a good thing neither of us are _real_ knights..."

By now, the Mojyamon was upon them. It brought its large bone-weapon down on Calliburn's weapon. The soldier Digimon deflected the blow, and then stabbed at the furry enemy with his spear, exclaiming, "_Pawn Spear!_"

The white, furry Digimon jerked away from the attack, and roared, "_Bone Boomerang!_"

With a swing of its arm, the beast let its bone spin through the air at the boy and his Digimon partner. Calliburn lifted his shield, and followed the Mojyamon's example, letting it fly through the air like a boomerang. "_Pawn Buckler!_"

The shield and bone collided, and both clattered to the ground. Calliburn and Arthur rushed forward, brandishing their weapons against their now-weaponless opponent. The Mojyamon bellowed something unintelligible, and then lifted its arms. Within seconds, the moisture in the air had frozen, and a huge icicle fell into the beast's hands. Grinning, the Mojyamon shouted, "_Ice Cloud!_"

The icicle hurtled through the air at Arthur and Calliburn. They stopped dead in their tracks, knowing that if they were hit by that...then they'd be in a lot of pain. Suddenly, a blur streaked through the air, exclaiming, "_Horn Attack!_"

Gabumon's horn destroyed the icicle on impact, and, in midair, the reptile Digimon turned and let loose a stream of blue fire at Mojyamon. "_Blue Blaster!_"

The attack struck, and Mojyamon was sent stumbling backwards. Gabumon somersaulted through the air and landed directly in front of Arthur and Calliburn. Glancing over his shoulder at the two, he said, "You really should be more careful. Rushing headlong into battle is not the way to hunt."

Calliburn stood indignantly. "I don't mean to sound rude, good sir...but we weren't _hunting_ the beast. Rather, _it_ was hunting _us_."

Before Gabumon could reply, Arthur broke in, "And I don't think the hunt is over..."

The Mojyamon rose to its feet and cracked its knuckles. With a howl, it sent another icicle flying in their direction. Calliburn, acting quickly, dove forward to grab his shield, and brought it up just in time, deflecting the icicle. The little Digimon rolled to the left to avoid a downward punch from Mojyamon, and then hopped backwards to avoid a forward thrust from its free fist.

Gabumon and Arthur followed up Calliburn's charge, each striking at their opponent with the various sharp objects in their arsenal: Gabumon with his horn, and Arthur with his sword.

The Mojyamon staggered backwards, clutching several wounded spots, and became subject to another of Gabumon's attacks, "_Drill Horn!_"

And just like that, the Mojyamon was no more. It exploded into a cloud of data particles. But this time, rather than floating away, they were sucked into Gabumon's body, and absorbed by the Digimon. Arthur stood speechless.

If Calliburn had owned a jaw, it would have dropped. "Do you mean to tell me that all this time I could have _absorbed_ the data of the Digimon we defeated?!"

"Do you mean to tell me that you didn't?" spoke a voice from atop a nearby hill. Arthur and Calliburn stared up at the newcomer. "The name is Spring. Keith Spring."

Arthur grinned and tried to appear as knightly as possible. "Sir Arthur Camotel...at your service!"

******

"You know what, Agurabana?"

"What, Senpai?"

"I'm starting to think that fate hates me."

"Fate doesn't hate you, Senpai. It just likes everybody else more."

Daiki stared at his surroundings. He was in an open field of grass...and surrounded by prehistoric monsters on every side. To his left was a herd of stegosaurus-look-alikes. To his right, a bunch of single-horned, gray dinosaurs. Behind him were a couple of long-necked, horn-headed dinosaurs. And, directly before him, was a bright red, sharp-toothed, razor-clawed, fire-breathing T-rex.

And its gaping jaws were drifting directly in front of him.

"Don't move a muscle...it can't see us if we don't move," Daiki whispered, cowering back in the grass.

"Hey! That's a stereotype!" Agurabana exclaimed, glaring up at his human partner.

"You mean it _can_ see us?!"

"Yep."

Daiki's eyes grew wide. "Then what are we _standing_ here for?! _RUN!_"

Grabbing Agurabana by the arm, Daiki launched into a full-throttle run. The tyrannosaurus Digimon let out a blood-curdling roar before sprinting after them. The huge red Digimon sent an enormous fireball hurtling at Daiki and Agurabana, and the two just barely dodged it by dropped to the ground. The fireball rocketed over their heads and exploded on one of the single-horned Digimon just a short distance away. The Digimon dropped to the ground and disintegrated into data particles.

With the thundering footsteps of an angry T-rex behind him, and who-knew-how-many other dinosaurs before him, Daiki was beginning to think that his earlier accusation of fate was right.

******

"Well, well, well," spoke a menacing voice from the canopies above. It seemed to echo from everywhere. "What do we have here?"

Jeff and Monodramon scanned the area, but there were no signs of anyone else. Suddenly, a figure materialized directly in front of them. Monodramon yelped and fell back on his hindquarters. Jeff simply stared at the new acquaintance. He had the appearance of a twisted and maniacal clown, dressed in bright colors and wielding two swords, one in each hand. Two more swords jutted out of their sheaths on his back.

He looked rather comical, indeed...but there was something about him that struck Jeff as...terrifying. Perhaps it was the way he spoke...or maybe even the way his eyes were fixed on Jeff hungrily. The boy took a wary step back, and glanced at his Digivice. _'Piedmon. Mega level. Virus attribute. Wizard type. Threat level: Incalculable.'_

Piedmon grinned, and let out a maniacal laugh. He sheathed his two swords and lifted one hand in the air. Instantly, the surrounding trees began to take on living form. They developed menacing eyes and terrible mouths, and their branches formed into ferocious arms and claws.

Monodramon leaped to his feet, rushed in front of Jeff, and stood in a battle stance. Jeff's Digivice now had two more doses of information to give, _'Woodmon. Champion level. Virus attribute. Vegetation type. Threat level: Medium.'_

The next piece of information read, _'Cherrymon. Ultimate level. Virus attribute. Vegetation type. Threat level: High.'_

Piedmon let out another of his menacing laughs and then said, "Welcome to the Digital World, Chosen."


End file.
